China is preparing a ban on retractable door handles in cars (1 photo)

It is expected that cars with such door handles will not be produced in China from mid-2027



The Chinese authorities are discussing a ban on the production of cars with fully retractable door handles - as reported by Mingjing Pro, it may come into force in June 2027. An exception will be made for semi-retractable handles, but only if they are equipped with a mechanical unlocking system.

The draft of the new standard is still in the preparation stage - the final decision has not yet been made. It is expected that additional details about the upcoming ban will appear before the end of September.

One way or another, automakers have already begun to abandon this design solution. The head of Great Wall earlier this year said that the automaker will no longer install such door handles, as the fashion for them has passed. In addition, retractable door handles are three times more expensive than regular ones and break three times more often. This is especially dangerous in an accident, as evidenced by the results of crash tests: in side impacts, they work less often than traditional ones.

Motorists criticize retractable door handles because they depend on electricity, and their design is not hermetically sealed, so the mechanism can freeze in winter. Finally, in China, cases of child injuries due to this design element have become more frequent.

It is worth noting that retractable door handles sometimes look more aesthetically pleasing and have a positive (but insignificant) effect on the aerodynamics of the car. They reduce the aerodynamic drag coefficient by approximately 0.005–0.01 Cd — such data are provided by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

CarNewsChina reports that other options in modern cars that could potentially be banned in China are also causing complaints, such as the removal of physical buttons in favor of touch screens, panoramic sunroofs and electronic side mirrors.